Mirror
by AiweAlako
Summary: What began as a short character voice exercise has taken on a life of its own... Avatar the Last Airbender! dead for now, but I hope to rewrite it majorly someday... In the meantime, go check out "Too Quiet"!
1. Chapter 1

Toph walked along the hallway as …invisibly as she could. Which was hard, as she really didn't know what attracted the attention of a sighted person. She was getting better at it, she thought as she hid a smirk. That, she had found, was one thing a fire bender _would_ notice. Servants and errand runners did not smirk. She moved further into the administration building, her plain runner's uniform helping her go almost unnoticed through the inner halls. Sokka had been very opposed to her helping in the reconnaissance efforts, until, well, he had _caved_. Once again she had to smother a smirk. She had lost some of her societal training in the past few lax months. She needed to drop the smirks, and fast.

She kept her head down, her hair hiding her telltale eyes. Men and women in ceremonial armor passed her occasionally, but she was ignored for the most part.

She tensed as she sensed a man turn her direction. She paused, head 'humbly' bowed, waiting for his orders. She heard a parchment scroll shoved close to her face. "This needs to find General Li in the central guard room." He only waited for her to take the parchment before turning on his heel and striding away with a loud _tacktacktack_ of metal on cold stone.

Toph turned away as soon as it was safe and took off quickly for the central buildings. She had spent the last week here, in the prison complex, listening for any helpful tidbit of information. They had mere weeks left until BS Day (as she had begun calling it) and everyone was getting desperate for any sort of information.

When she reached the door, the young earth bender knocked lightly, in the proper manner, and waited for the answering call. When it came, she pushed the door open only enough to let her light frame through and waited for one of the lower officers to come and take the message from her.

Low voices muttered around her, though crystal clear to her waiting ears.

"I can't believe he really did it. I served under General Iroh for months before we were even sent to Ba Sin-"

"He's not General anymore, Soon, remember that. I could report you just for mentioning the traitor." Another man stepped close to the conversation.

"Speaking of the Traitor, I was to report that he is secured in the main holdings. They didn't consider him a threat anymore." A pause "He is nearly senile! I can't believe…He really isn't the Dragon he once was, is he?" That last one sounded almost sad, Toph thought as she turned to face the man who approached her now. She held out the parchment, as he reached. "General Li"

The man nodded, and Toph let herself out the door. _Iroh!_ The old man was still, if not on their side specifically, he was sympathetic. He couldn't be truly senile. He was wily enough to play at it until rescue came, though there was no way…he must have friends. They had to get him first- he could be too useful. It would be risky, but she felt it could be done.

"What!?!" Predictable Sokka. Always predictable. With a twist of her heel, Toph sent Sokka backwards onto a smooth stone stool that sprang up to meet his obstinate butt. He _would_ see this her way.

"I could do it alone, really. All I need is to pretend to take a message to the head of the shift, which I have done before. I'd recognize that old man in an instant, and all I'd need to do is tunnel him out. Easy as pudding."

"Pudding??" The analogy had Sokka stumped for a ridiculous moment. "Easy as _pudding_?" Toph snorted.

"I like pudding. But that's beside the point, Sokka. No changing the topic" she indulged in a slight smirk "We could use Iroh. We already know he is at least sympathetic to our cause, and we so owe him a little for his help in the caves under Ba Sing Se. He could give us information. He _would_ give us information, for helping him."

"I think Toph's right on this one, Sokka" Thank the Spirits for Katara. She'd talk sense into her brother. "And Toph _is_ the only one to do it, though I don't like this. We are getting a little desperate for information, and we know Iroh could help us." Aang stepped in at this point, agreeing with Katara, and the fight was over. After some brief discussion, plans were laid and everyone settled in for the night.

Over the next two days Toph scouted as best she could. She made several false runs out to the main prison complex, and succeeded in locating the old fire bender. She made one more run after that to get a rough lay of the guard patrols and to figure out a plan for the following day, careful to stay well out of sight of the man's cell. Then she quietly disappeared to prepare.

When she arrived the next morning, it was just after the changing of the guard. The patrols had just started, and it would be a good half hour before they came back around to Iroh's cell. She went around a corner to a section of empty cells (only empty because the old occupants had been shipped off to fight at the front line) and started her tunnel. She had to be careful not to make any noticeable changes to the floor, and it was frustrating and time consuming to shift the stone and soil so smoothly, but after shifting a couple floor tiles out of the way she had herself underground, and a painstaking half-hour later she had a good, even tunnel leading into Iroh's cell, and the floor around her had risen an even half inch for a couple hundred feet around.

Footsteps _tack_ed down the hall just above her head. She had timed that one closely- they must have increased the guard today. Another set of footsteps approached, close behind the last. No, three? Four. Definitely four. And, more. Further along the hall, there were more, and the sound of chains clinking cruelly. Of course. More prisoners. One stumbled, fell, and one of the guards kicked and prodded them back up. A key clicked in a lock just above and behind Toph, and she held her breath, releasing it only as the door swung open with only the slightest catch on the now raised floor. Someone was detached from the chain and shoved roughly into the cell, before the door swung heavily closed and keys rattled and the lock clicked once more. Soft sobbing, a proudly hidden limp, muttered curses all whispered over Toph's head as this nightmarish parade padded hopelessly by, accompanied by the harsh chink of chain-on-chain-on-cold stone. When it was finally over and the guards had moved off to their daily duties, and the only sound left to Toph in the darkness was the sound of desperate pacing, she began to move shakily towards the old man's cell. There was nothing she could do here. They would all be released after the Day of Black Sun.

Iroh was the priority. She sensed him just to the left of her tunnel's end, and listened closely for any nearby guards. The cell directly across the hall was thankfully empty. She made some deliberate scuffing and thumping noises only Iroh would be close enough to hear before opening a small hole, just enough to see through. He looked back at her with a lightly bemused expression, but did not move. Toph opened the hole wider.

"Oh, the young traveler. What a wonderful surprise!" cried Iroh before Toph could silence him. A stone gag covered his mouth as she signaled frantically for him to come down the hole. He got the message apparently, because with a mildly confused expression he crawled into the hole she opened for him. As soon as he was safely in, she closed the hole behind him. The old man started violently, thwacking his head against the stone ceiling of their tunnel. Toph scolded him roughly.

"Shush! You can stop acting stupid, old man. I'm here to rescue you! If you can't keep quiet, we'll get caught! I know you're smarter than this!" He seemed to accept this, so she turned away and started down the tunnel. "Grab the hem of my jacket and _keep up_!" She sensed him fumbling about in the dark and sighed. Twisting around, she put the corner of her long jacket in his flailing hand. It could be so difficult dealing with...inot/i blind people sometimes.

They moved forward like this, the old man on hand and knees (_must be hard on him...we'll have to take a rest soon_ Toph growled) and the young girl crouched low, shifting earth along the sides of the tunnel and behind them, filling in the way they had come. They had to take several breaks, Toph opening covert breathing holes along the way to let fresh air seep into their stuffy little bubble of earth. The painstakingly slow pace Iroh set was putting Toph on edge, but she couldn't just shift him along _and_ move the tunnel _and_ keep an ear out for any danger from above. They were crossing the wide open courtyard now, and the sound of drilling soldiers covered any noise she made, but the earth bender had to keep the roof of her tunnel even and strong to keep any fire bender from stepping straight through and uncovering them. The old man behind her muttered aimlessly most of the way, sometimes breaking into quiet song, but never speaking to her, and never saying anything that made sense, at least…not that Toph could make out. She iwas/i pretty distracted…

They finally made it outside the walls of the complex. Two-thirds of the way to safety. They stopped for a breather just outside the thick, ironclad wall, before setting off again. Toph made quicker time, and within an hour they were in the treeline and Toph was fighting roots out of their way with every flick of her hands. They broke the surface and Toph led Iroh out into the leaf-filtered daylight. He muttered to himself and squinted about for a moment, stretched like someone just out of bed, and followed Toph obediently through the forest to the clearing where the others waited.


	2. Chapter 2

Sokka had obviously been pacing for a long time, probably since Toph had left. Katara leapt to her feet with a small cry, and Aang leapt, always light-footed, to her side as the slight girl entered the clearing, old fire bender in tow. Iroh looked around, blinked owlishly, and stated forlornly "I can't find my son."

†††

The alarm was raised two hours after Iroh followed Toph down underground. They were somewhere under the parade grounds at the time, the rhythmic drumming of feet drowning out not only the sound of their own motion, but also anything above ground as they moved through their earthy night. The message reached the main complex twenty minutes later, and traveled up the chain of command until, three and one-half hours after Iroh disappeared underground the message was intercepted by Princess Azula, who thanked the messenger icily, and told them she would deliver the news to her father the Fire Lord personally. The messenger, still reeling from the acid malevolence in the viper-like woman's voice, was only too grateful to escape the immediate vicinity. iAnd, oh,/i the poisonous voice called out. iNo one else must hear about this. We don't want any…undue rumors flying about. The old man will be brought in within the day and put quietly…elsewhere./i The man shuddered and quickened his pace down the long halls of the palace.

Azula turned away from the doors leading to the throne room, and went to 'find' her brother. Her little spiders, the Dai Li agents she had brought with her from the pathetic city of Ba Sing Se, kept a close and unseen eye on all the…important inhabitants, which unfortunately included her idiot brother, the young and oh so malleable Prince Zuko. He was getting brighter- he had caught her little barbed gift in the details of their fight with the avatar much too quickly. He would have to be dealt with eventually. She signaled one of her ever-present agents, her little black spiders, with a flick of her hand, and quickly found her fool brother. He was not in any of the usual places, rather, he was staring pensively down at the capitol city from a high tower at the south end of the city, near the river. Another thing to take care of- that river. There was little chance any water benders would seriously make it this far, but there had to be something she could do to make it harder to access…

"Ah, my dear brother. Why the long face? You have everything you wanted now. You are home, and Father has accepted you back! You should be happy." She purred this out, and waited for him to turn and face her with those dully expectant eyes. He did not. "My goodness, Zuko, Mai must really be getting to you! Perhaps you should take a day away from her."

"What do you want?" he asked tiredly. Dull.

"The traitor, Iroh, has been executed for his crimes. I just thought you'd like to know. Now there is nothing holding you back, no second thoughts to tie you down as you prepare to take the throne. Be happy, brother. All you ever wanted is now yours for the taking." She didn't wait for his reaction, but turned and almost bounced away. Hm…this is too much fun. I might have to keep him around a little longer…but then her attention was drawn elsewhere as one of her little spiders signaled to her from a palace rooftop.

_iAzula always lies./i_ Zuko sighed. He had been unable to think of much else since they left Ba Sing Se behind them. He had been unable to rid his mind of the hopeless faces that had watched them leave the city, the broken, dull look on his uncle's face. He could not forget the stench of singed flesh, the cry of anguish as his sister's deadly lightning took its heavy toll in the caves below the once impenetrable city. He had not been able to shake the feeling of something severely wrong since he had chosen his sister, betraying his uncle, betraying …the fury, the near hatred in those blue eyes had scared him. Had… hurt him. He couldn't shake the feeling of them always on his back, ever just out of sight, the accumulation of all the wrongs he had ever committed, all the anger and pain of those he had hurt, all of it glaring through those blue eyes, all of it, _iwatching_/i him. And now this. _iAzula always lies./i_ He had chosen wrong after all. He had heard the alarm bells as he rode through the city. Had seen the search parties sent out. Had heard the whispered message. i_Iroh has escaped. He escaped, without a sign. Not a single guard injured. The door to his cell was still locked!_/i Zuko sighed again. _iAzula always lies./i_

He would have to leave, somehow. He had to find his uncle. The Fire Nation was beyond his help years ago. He would need help now, to rid the throne of the poison that had set there for the past hundred years.

"Your son?" Katara looked quizzically at the old man. Something was wrong. Something was missing in his eyes…

Momo chose that moment to make an appearance. With a loud screech he threw himself through the air and landed heavily on the old man's head. Katara took a step forward to intervene, only to burst out laughing when the eccentric lemur merely leaned over to peer into Iroh's face upside-down, and started tugging at his bushy beard.  
At that gesture the emptiness seemed to pass. There was a whole mind there again, and the quick old eyes darted around the clearing, assessing the situation, before he gently extracted the lemur from his beard and set Momo firmly on his shoulder, patting his head.

"I apologize. I have not eaten in quite a long time" said the fire bender, the old Dragon, sitting on an old log at the edge of the clearing. "I was…lost in a memory…" He almost faded again, that something slipping quietly out of sight, but Momo gave his beard another firm yank and Iroh looked up. "I know your faces." he said to Sokka and Katara. "And the young Avatar. It looks like I have you four to thank for my rescue."

Katara nodded slightly towards Toph "You ought to thank i_her/i_. Toph is the one that found you, and the one that took all the risks to get you out."

Iroh turned to the young earth bender at his side. "Thank you then, young miss. I am eternally grateful." He bowed slightly…as much as his large stomach would allow him to, sitting. At that moment said stomach made itself heard, announcing its long fast. Iroh looked around, apologetic. "We should move on. The alarm will have been raised, and search parties will be sent out, if not already, then soon enough. We do not want Princess Azula on our trail."

Sokka started at this, and took charge once more, directing everyone to pick up their meager camp before leading the way through the sparse forest to the cave they had hidden Appa in. Soon they were airborne, skimming low over trees and then over water to a small island they had discovered near enough to be of use. There they settled, setting up a real camp and preparing a meal of dried meats, drier bread, and some aging fruit.

Iroh sat at the edge of the fire's light, staring thoughtfully into the flames for hours before rolling into his blankets and slipping into sleep.

"I have decided that I need to familiarize myself with the terrain. I wish to request that I be allowed to take a small number of men with me to inspect the perimeter reinforcements." Zuko held his tongue against the many things he _iwished/i_ he could say, knowing many of them could have him killed on the spot. He waited, instead, bowed submissively to the floor in front of his father's throne. No, not his father. By blood, perhaps, but his true father had escaped the palace prison today, and was likely well on his way out of the Fire Nation. Zuko waited to hear what the man on the throne would say.

"That is a wise request, my son. You have been away from your homeland for far too long. You must reacquaint yourself with our lands before taking command of the army. Have you chosen your men?"

"I have, father."

"Good. Go well, my son. Be strong and swift, and your flame, merciless."

Zuko stood, pacing backwards respectfully until he reached the tenth column, before he turned and strode quickly out of the throne room.

Azula waited for him, somehow leaning without relaxing against a pillar by the door. She always seemed coiled, like a snake- deadly, treacherous, and always ready to strike.

"You are leaving so soon, brother? Though father did seem happy with your idea."

Zuko nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

"Then I wish you luck, brother. Don't take too long. We wouldn't want to make any final moves without you." She let a light, satisfied lilt creep into her voice, and realized it was too much as Zuko glanced at her sharply. He really was getting faster. It was good to have him out of the way for a while, though he wouldn't be out of sight. One of her little black-clad spiders was already preparing for the journey ahead.

"Thank you" Zuko said shortly, nodded a slight bow between equals, and left. Azula waited a moment before entering the throne room herself.

Iroh seemed to drift in and out of himself over the next few days. He was lucid enough whenever they needed him to be, answering what questions he could, and helping with whatever needed his attention. He seemed quite willing to help, even after they outlined the entire plan to him. He just nodded sagely and complemented them on their strategic decision.

Other than that, however…whenever he was alone, whenever no one paid attention to him, Katara would watch him slip away. Physically, he was still there, but mentally…only a shadow remained in his eyes, sometimes. He would be lost in memories, and sometimes it would take him a long time to come back out of them. Katara worried for the kind old man, and had checked to make sure he was not injured in any way. All she found were new bruises and old scars. And she knew she couldn't heal his mind, or his heart.

Zuko set out the next morning, his heart lifting slightly for the first time since Ba Sing Se. He rode one of the quick giant salamanders his sister so preferred, and was followed by as many of his old, loyal crew as he had been able to find. Uncle would be happy- he had even managed to find the cook. There were a few others, but they were there just for that reason- they were others. Zuko couldn't have Azula thinking him itoo/i nostalgic, and so he couldn't completely reassemble the crew that had traveled so long with him and his uncle.

At the end of a long day's swift journey, Zuko managed to get most of his loyal men together. He told them briefly why they were truly on this journey, and was happy to see any doubts he may have had relieved by the renewed loyalty burning in their eyes.

"Also, Azula is having us followed. Of that I am certain. We need a plan to throw her off our trail…"

"Sir,..." one man began hesitantly "I might be able to help..."

As the man laid out his plan, Zuko found himself reluctantly impressed. He had never given his men enough credit in the past.

If all went according to plan, he would be able to disappear within the week, and then he would be able to find his uncle, and perhaps to begin repairing the damage he had done.

They received word from Hakoda the third day after Iroh's rescue. He thanked them for the information they had sent him so far. He also told them he was building up more help than they had expected. He'd been able to dispatch messengers to outlying islands and the news was spreading- quietly, secretly, behind hands and closed doors, by mouth only, and only to the most trusted people. Things would accelerate, yes, but they would only let that happen when they wanted it to. By the Day, they would have all the support they needed. Now they just needed to know what to do with it.

The group continued their surveillance- more carefully, since the guard had been raised after Iroh's escape. It was odd that that is all that happened, an increase in the guard, but it appeared the fire nation had little use for the senile old man, and was simply covering it up. Word in the palace had it that the old man had been executed. It also said that the returned Prince had left on another trip, this time to see the borders and to ready for future battles.

the forest to the clearing where the others waited.


	3. Chapter 3

It was ridiculously simple. Zuko would fake his own death. He was certain there was an agent of the Dai Li on his tail, so it would have to be convincing, and there couldn't be a body…There would be a poison.

That genius of a man had gotten it for him. Zuko was reluctant to trust him, but it was one of the men Uncle had hand picked when they left in the first place, and Zuko was beginning to trust the old man's judgment more than ever. It would be risky- too much and he really would die, too little and the scam wouldn't work.

He would go down to the water's edge to bathe. As he bent down to stretch, he would prick himself with a special vial the man had designed. As it injected the poison, it would leave a mark like that of a venomous snake. All the symptoms would be there, at least enough to convince after a brief inspection. The poison would slow his heart to nearly nothing and his breathing would stop- long enough for a certain little spider to creep out from its shadow and check him over. He would be washed downstream, where he would be caught by one of his men playing scout, and left, hidden, on the bank. His scout would return later, to 'report', and they would search for him. They would find a half-burnt snake by the water's edge, and his clothing and signet on the shore. An innocent death. The 'new' men would be sent back to the palace with the signet and the snake, and his loyal men would stay behind to 'search for the body'. It might not convince Azula for long, but her little spider would have gone to report, and that would be enough time for him to disappear.

It worked, too.

The poison was painful enough to put on a convincing show, he was sure of that. He kicked the already dead snake into the open and let loose a fireball fueled by agony, and had only enough time to hope he hadn't completely destroyed it before toppling into the water. He was strangely aware when the Dai Li agent found him, checked him over, took his pulse, and held him underwater for a minute for good measure. Of course. If the body were found, it would be best to _ileave_/i it an innocent death. Then the man pushed him back into the main stream and Zuko was truly and blessedly unconscious.

†††

Her little spider came creeping to her only a couple of days after her fool brother set out. She almost killed him on the spot, in her anger at seeing him away from his post. He managed to get his report out before she did, though, and she had to laugh out loud at the fool's fate. The man said the idiot boy hadn't checked the ground for snakes before i_bathing/i_.

"You are absolutely certain that my brother is dead?" she lavished the threat on heavily, enjoying the moment.

"Absolutely, Lady. I held him under the water for a span to be absolutely certain." She could hear and clearly appreciated the fear in his voice.

"Good thinking, my little spider. It is good to leave this a clean death, if anyone should find the body. No marks. Hm…what of his men?"

"Some are coming this way as we speak, bearing the boy's clothes and the remains of the snake. I retrieved the signet myself, Lady."

"Fool. Put it in the folds of my _ilate/i _brother's clothing. They will wonder where it came from if it is not found there."

The man left, quick and silent, _idoubtless glad I hadn't killed him for that error and sent another on the task in his place,_ she thought. _That might be something to consider later, though, if he blunders like that again./i _A mistake like that at the wrong moment could set back all her plans, in an instant.

Zuko woke to i_pain/i_. Everything hurt, ached, throbbed, pinched, prickled. He knew it would pass, but it was so hard to stay quiet and still through it as he waited for his men to find him.

He lay on the bank, shaded from the glaring sun and covered with a light blanket. He just had to wait this out.

The man who had made the poison had warned of this. It was merely his body reawakening, like pins and needles in your foot, but worse, all over. Add to that the general battering he had acquired bumping down the river, and he was a mess.

He found that he was able to move a little now, and began shifting slightly- first, just flexing his fingers, curling his hand, stretching a foot, anything to get the blood moving through his body again. By the time his men were able to come for him, he was fully upright, tired, and so hungry it made him irate and he snapped at them for taking so long. The men merely smiled slightly to see him back and set about pitching the tents.

†††

Azula was there to intercept her brother's affects. The snake was indeed a poisonous little thing, greenish-black and sleek, they lived all along the Fire Nation's waterways. Their venom was deadly within minutes. Even if her brother's men had been near, there was nothing they could have done. In fact, they might well have pushed him in the water themselves to save the blame for the snake alone.

It was a pity, though. He'd been so much fun to tease…

Zuko growled in frustration. There was not a word of his uncle, and there wouldn't be, of course. His uncle knew how to hide.

The 'dead' prince slipped unobtrusively along the edges of the crowd, his broad peasant hat masking his face. He glanced around, hoping to find any familiar face that might give him a hint…He didn't even know who his uncle was traveling with! This was impossi…Zuko stiffened. Backing further out of the crowd, he found an unoccupied spot along a wall to lean. And watch.

Who is that?

A tall woman bartered over a sack of rice a couple of stalls down the road, habitual pride written in every line of her body, though she dressed as a commoner. She was older...perhaps as old as Zuko's father...

_iMom?/i_

The woman glanced his way and seemed to start, an odd look flitting across her face. Zuko straightened and took a step forward, but before he could even get through the fringes of the crowd, she quickly picked up her sack, thanked the vendor, and let herself be swept away by the market-day crowd.

He spent the next two hours searching the marketplace for the woman, until the vendors began throwing him reproachful looks and he knew he could not stay any longer without drawing suspicion. He picked up some extra canvas and a length of rope, and disappeared back into the forest.

That night, Zuko faced all too familiar a dream. He saw, as he had once before, in Ba Sing Se, that last day, that final night, when his mother disappeared, and took all safety and sanity with her. He heard once again the mocking voice of his sister, though this time she resembled a viper more than a dragon, and then the dream deviated. He saw his uncle, broken and empty after his betrayal. He saw, as if for the first time, the stance the wise old man had taken- protecting the Avatar, from Azula, and him. He saw again what had remained of his uncle in the prison complex, quickly deteriorating, and knew it was his own actions that had caused his uncle's loss of hope. Zuko tossed, in his dreams seeing once again the anger and pain in those brilliant blue eyes. His mother approached him again, repeating her final words to him- _iAlways remember…_/i And the dream cycled on relentlessly.

In the morning Zuko woke suddenly, hurling out of his dreams, drenched in sweat and shaking.

They doubled back that day, Zuko following a hunch and his men faithfully following him, and cut deep into the sickly forest clinging to the foothills around the capitol city.

Toph was the first to bring the news. Katara had no idea what to do. Iroh seemed so lost as it was, what would it do to him to learn his beloved nephew had died? Iroh had told them how he and Zuko had come to be at the poles the day the Avatar was awakened. He told them about the Fire Lord's cruelty, and the boy's continued loyalty. He told them everything, and Katara could hear the pain and sorrow that saturated every word, that seeped from the old man like blood from a wound that just wouldn't heal.

So it was that, less than a week later, Katara was thrown into even greater confusion when Toph came and told her a group of fire nation soldiers searched the woods nearby, lead by the dead prince himself.

Iroh seemed to be fading faster with each day. He could not hold himself together for more than a few minutes at a time, drifting in and out of memories both painful and beautiful.

Katara decided to take a gamble. Zuko had to find the old man, or they would lose him for good. It hurt to see anyone in that much pain, and to be utterly helpless to stop it.

Sokka helped her set up a small camp for Iroh in a clearing far enough away from their own for safety, and then they laid a false trail, to lead the strange troupe of 'dead' men to the camp of the dying man. Katara secreted herself in a tree nearby to keep guard, though what she could do against fifteen strong fire benders, and with only her water sack, she had no clue.

Zuko knew the trail was not his uncle's the moment they found it, but he decided to follow it anyway. It had been a long day, and any lead in this dreary forest was better than the nothing they had found so far.

And so it was to his immense surprise that his uncle really _iwas/i_ at the end of the clumsily laid path, sitting alone by a small fire and singing an old campaign song softly to himself. The old man didn't even look up as his nephew approached and sat down next to him. Only when his nephew began to speak did he seem to return to himself, and then he listened very closely.

Katara felt terrible, sitting there listening to what should have been for the old man's ears only. Even the man's crew had the decency to move out of earshot, but Katara could do nothing without giving away her position. Listening to the young man's apologies, to his reasonings and his confessions, she was reminded … so powerfully of his words in the cave beneath the city of Ba Sing Se. Knowing what she now knew of the prince, she wished even harder that she had been able to do something for him, anything to ease the pain that had been his to bear for so long. Eventually she let her mind drift further away, and soon she was asleep, oblivious to the conversation that continued far into the night below her.

Zuko watched with mounting anticipation as he saw his uncle returning to himself, the strength returning to his eyes, and even rejoiced at the anger and accusation he saw there. It was better than what he had been there before. The anger faded as they talked into the evening, but the pain was still in the old man's voice as they drifted idly from one topic to the next.

"I thought I saw Mother, the other day."

"You saw Ursa?" his uncle was suddenly interested again, pulling sharply back out of sleep.

"I thought I did. It couldn't have been her, though." The young man sighed. i_She is surely long dead by now_./i

"And why couldn't it be her?"

Silence. Zuko felt his heartbeat quicken, despite his efforts to keep hope from taking root.

"Zuko…" Iroh paused for a long time. Zuko sat up and faced the man he had always seen as his father. "I feel you are ready…I could not tell you this before, you understand. Not when you were still so…"

"Out of control."

The older man merely nodded slightly.

"I am not the one to tell you exactly what happened that night, when your mother…disappeared."

Zuko nodded.

"I helped your mother escape that night. You remember, in the desert, that man that helped us escape the bounty hunters?"

"The man from the White Lotus, yes."

"Well, it was not that man in particular, but I had connections even then. Your mother was smuggled out of the palace, and taken to a village just across the border in the Earth Kingdom. She should have gone further, but she refused to be taken any farther from her family. She was given a new life, and taught to live as a commoner. She is still there, under the name Kuma."

"Bear." Zuko smiled slightly. It was something she would choose.

"I do not think that it is time for you to find her just yet, my son." Zuko glanced over at Iroh sharply, startled as much by what his uncle had told him as by what he had _icalled_/i him. i_My son/i_. Two words, and he was forgiven. The father he had always envisioned had been with him all along. Two words, and it was over. It was that simple...

"Why should I not find her?" As these words sunk in, he could feel the familiar pain, the anger and frustration that had plagued him for the past three years so doggedly, welling up again. He wanted to rant and rage, to burn down the whole forest at the thought of this injustice. He was so close… "The Fire Lord will kill her" his uncle said quietly, stopping Zuko's mind with the jarring, painful barb of truth. He couldn't risk it until he had finished his current task. Until all was safe at last.

Iroh had moved very deliberately directly under her branch and had bumped the tree hard as he sat, waking her in time to hear the end of the conversation.

"You know where the Avatar is, Uncle?"

"I know."

"I need to find him."

"Again with this, nephew?"

"Hear me out, Uncle, please. It isn't what you think."

"I am listening."

"Thank you. The Fire Nation thinks I am dead."

A pause. Katara saw Iroh nod slowly.

"Your cook has some interesting connections, Uncle… It was convincing enough to fool the Dai Li agent Azula had following me. At least for a while, I am dead to all of them. I do not expect to fool Azula forever, but then, I don't want to."

Again a pause, and Katara heard the young prince draw a deep breath in the silence that clung thick and heavy about the clearing.

"For a hundred years the throne of the Fire Nation has been sullied by evil, grasping men. The name of the Fire Nation has been marred by their vicious, greedy actions. It is time for it to end. There has been enough war, Uncle. It is time for it to end."

Iroh sighed as he stood, and Zuko stood with him, almost wary. These words must be near treason in the fire nation, Katara realized.

Zuko tensed as the old man stepped forward and threw his arms around the younger man's shoulders. He stood there ridged for a moment, then smiled lightly, and Iroh said something so quietly to him that Katara, as close as she was, could not hear. It was not meant for her to hear. She had heard all she needed.

Zuko followed his uncle back to the fire, and they sat for a while longer in silence, absorbing all that had happened that evening. The younger man succumbed to sleep soon enough, exhausted after long, swift travel, and a stressful day. Iroh was quite awake, though, when the young water bender descended carefully from her tree and stole away into the woods towards the other camp.

He smiled as another set of footsteps stole past, and he heard a voice whisper in his ear "I trust you, old man." and the blind girl followed almost silently after her friend into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Katara found Sokka and Aang up and waiting when she got back, and Toph came up behind her just as she turned to look.

"We're good." The earth bender said, almost grinning. She stamped her foot lightly and a short pillar of earth shot up, grass cushion and all, and she sat, obviously pleased with herself. Aang and Sokka turned back to Katara, who merely shrugged.

"We're good. You know what Iroh told us. Now Zuko's realized it, too, and he's given up on pleasing his father. He came in search of Iroh because he suspected Iroh knew where to find us. He wants to help, and honestly, this could be the solution to a lot of our problems."

"You're sure?" Sokka sounded doubtful, but if both Toph and Katara agreed on this…

"Aang?" Katara looked over at him. He seemed to be struggling with himself…Although, _iif he weren't torn on this, I'd wonder if he was even still sane. Aang __**bdied**__/b because of Zuko's choice./i_

Aang sat for a moment, fear building a strangling web around him until he couldn't seem to move. He felt trapped, like he had so many times in the past few months, but this time it was his own emotions holding him captive. Then the remembered image of twin blades flash by his face, and a blue demon mask replaced the scarred face that watched him so closely. A voice whispered in his ear "..._it is blocked by fear. You must let go of those fears..."_ The air bender took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I can give him a chance."

Katara let out the breath she had been holding, almost in unison with the boy, and gave him a quick smile.

"The only question now is…when?" Katara said, turning back to the rest of the group.

"And how much?" added Toph. "How's he going to handle this news, do you think? He seemed ready to take on the world tonight, but how's it going to look to him tomorrow? Or the day after that?"

"I think he can handle it" Katara's voice held a note of assurance that she almost hoped no one else had heard. She couldn't keep the image of him…in that strange total silence under the City. She had seen such pain, so much stubborn confusion there, but underneath it all was a strength like nothing she had seen before. She knew he would do whatever was necessary to protect his people, and his friends.

Toph turned towards her slightly. She had heard, even if the others hadn't, and she seemed to have more of an idea of the source of that assurance than Katara wanted her to have.

Toph held up a hand and started counting.

"So, tomorrow we will have a water tribe warrior, a water bending master, an earth bending master, a dead prince...no, two dead fire nation princes and a hundred-and-twelve-"

"And thirteen, as of three weeks ago" Aang chipped in. Everyone turned to look at him.

"Wait, what?!?"

"I'm now officially one hundred and thirteen." Aang blinked at them in amusement.

"But you didn't tell us!"

"I was supposed to?"

"Yes!"

"But…why?" Aang looked truly confused now.

"I don't know if it's just some random Water Tribe thing or whatever, but it's customary to celebrate the day of your birth. You give gifts to your friends and we give gifts to you and we give thanks to the Spirits for another year of life!"

"Oh, I've heard of those…"

"They have those in the Earth Kingdom, too, Twinkletoes. You must just be horribly out of date, what with your hundred years' in an icecube and all."

"Toph!" Katara moved to kick her lightly, but Toph danced nimbly out of the way, laughing.

"No, I really have heard of them, and I always wanted to get to one, but the monks really weren't into just a yearly celebration. We thanked the Spirits every _day_ for the life we had. But that's really beside the point right now. We need to figure out what we're going to do with Zuko."

"And friends." Sokka pitched in unexpectedly. "He brought more than fifteen soldiers with him, and I'm assuming, knowing the fire nation, they're all benders of some level."

"You're probably right…Maybe Zuko will have some ideas there." Katara sat down on her bedroll and realized just how tired she was. She yawned expansively. "Until tomorrow, then, we should get some sleep. I'm going to, at least. You can all stay awake as long as you want- just don't keep me up. You know how I get when I'm tired."

_iIt's surprising what things can get you in a good mood_ /ithought Katara. She was surprised with herself for joking like that. She shook her head as she unrolled her sleeping bag with a quick flick, and let out her braid for the night.

Zuko woke somewhat disoriented the next morning. Uncle was there, brewing what was probably his third pot of tea for the morning, and the old cook sat beside him, laughing at something the older man had said. He rolled over and saw one of the salamanders looking at him…hungrily. He sat up quickly as he remembered the past evening.

"Ah, nephew. You slept in!"

Zuko merely nodded and stood, stretching. He looked around the now crowded clearing, at his loyal men, and wondered i_what the heck do I do with them now?/i_

The Avatar probably would not accept so many, especially after…It was a wonder the boy was still alive after that…Zuko realized suddenly that the boy's life was still in danger. The assassin.

"Uncle. I need to see the Avatar as soon as possible. I have…his life is still in danger." Zuko ignored the _iwell, of course/i_ look on his uncle's face and went on desperately. "There is an assassin…"

"They have already encountered him once, Zuko. With both of us here now, there will be little true danger."

"He will probably think I hired him if he sees me." Zuko wanted to hit himself for the cowardly lie, but he couldn't bring himself to take it back. The man would think he had hired him because, well, he _ihad./i_

"What a man thinks is his own business. However, if he does turn up, we should keep you out of sight. They think you're dead, and you want to keep the illusion as long as you can, do you not? Speaking of which, we ought to send at least part of these men back soon, or the Princess will be wondering. Oi, Shen, how many of your men can we pretend you lost to the swamps down south?"

"Four or five, perhaps, sir. We don't want to appear i_that/i_ incompetent, or we might be released from service for just that."

"Good thinking lieutenant. Leave the cook and decide among the rest of you who will stay. The others will need to return to the capitol looking like they just lost their Prince within a week. We need more eyes in the army."

"Yes, sir!"

"Now, my nephew. We have many things yet to discuss. Come with me for a moment."

Iroh led the way into the trees, away from the crew. "How much have you told them, Zuko?"

"I told them that you had escaped, that you had not been…executed-"

"Is that what they are saying, then?"

"-and that someone had helped you. I told them that it was time we helped cleanse the Fire Nation, and they agreed that the war had to end. They are completely loyal, but know only what they need to know."

"You are learning, nephew. That was wise. It is best they still think the Avatar is dead. Now then. We will see them off, and then you and I will go to see the young Avatar. If he will have it, we will add the men who stay to our party, and then we will be able to do some good towards this plan of theirs."

Iroh caught Zuko's sleeve, suddenly very serious.

"Their plan may be…difficult to accept, my nephew. I urge you to think carefully before you react. This could be the only chance to bring balance to this world, and to save countless lives."

Zuko looked at his uncle, incredulous, and Iroh reached up to take his shoulders. "You _imust/i_ promise me this, Zuko."

"Very well, Uncle. I will try."

"Good enough. Just keep things in perspective, nephew. This is your chance to restore honor to your people, your opportunity to _end_ this endless war. Remember that."

"I will, Uncle."

Iroh came to them late in the morning, and told them the arrangement with the soldiers. Four would stay behind (one of them, Iroh beamed, was the cook) while the rest would go and report that there was no body to find, after they had run into the swamps and lost, well, four men. Those who went back to the capitol would doubtless be punished for their negligence, but then they would return to the army, and would be the invaders' eyes and ears in the fire nation. After the men had departed, to travel around and down south to come in from the proper direction, Iroh would bring Zuko alone to meet with them and discuss the plan.

Tomorrow. This might just work, with the help they were finding. The war might actually end, and in only a few short weeks...

Katara couldn't repress the strange sense of excitement she felt when she heard this. Things were going so…right. And Zuko would be joining them.

†††

She should have brought more of the Dai Li with her. These little spiders were proving oh, so useful. One had followed the little stormcrows bearing her brother's belongings and had listened very closely to what they said. They were pathetically shocked at her fool brother's demise. Killed by a snake. And oh dear, how dreadful, how painful, and to die alone like that! Azula couldn't help but laugh. These men would definitely be at her brother's funeral. For of course there would be a funeral, if only to appease the peasantry. Once they had returned, she had sent her little spider back out to find and follow the search party. They would search only so long before returning, and Azula had put long hours into thinking of a fitting punishment for their carelessness. It couldn't be anything…i_too/i_ harsh, though. After all, they _ihad/i_ rid her of her idiot brother, even if they didn't know it, and she would have rewarded them grandly if not for the circumstances.

Once they returned…Her little spider would tell her all, and then she would be able to sleep soundly, knowing the only thing between her and the throne was gone. It was only a matter of time, now.

"My sister will be watching you. Do not forget that, even for the slightest instant."

Zuko paced up and down the small clearing, his head filled with countless second thoughts.

"Sir, aren't you being a bit…" the man caught himself and nearly choked on his words.

"A bit paranoid, officer? No. I wish I were…" He paused before continuing even more strongly than before. "Azula has agents of the Dai Li under her command, and she _iwill/i_ use them. I only hope that she has not noticed your absence already. Everything you say, everything you do from here on in will be seen. You must not mention my uncle in any way. You may only talk about me as if I were dead. Azula _imust not know/i_ that I still live. I _imust not lose_/i what advantage I have gained. You men know Azula, and what she is capable of doing. You know that she must be brought down at all costs, but you must remember that _itiming is everything/i_. I will contact you to let you know when the time is at hand. Until then, I am dead."

Iroh stepped forward. "I regret that I must agree with my nephew. Azula cannot be underestimated. The moment you leave this clearing, we are dead to you. Now go, and go quickly. Azula must not find you missing."

The soldiers mounted their salamanders, the implications of what had just been said weighing heavily on their minds. The rearmost men had the extra salamanders tethered to their saddles- as much help as they would have been, you don't lose a salamander to a bog, and the expensive mounts would be missed.

The remaining men watched their comrades leave with apprehensive eyes.

Zuko waited until the men on the swift salamander mounts were long gone, then took a bracing breath and turned to face the remaining four men.

"I will be gone for a while. You are free to forage or hunt, but be careful and leave no trails. We will be staying here for a while."

Iroh came up behind him, and he turned. "Uncle. I am ready."

His uncle nodded slightly and turned to lead the way.

Toph signaled them when she heard the fire benders approaching. Katara had hidden among the trees to hear most of what they said to the departing men, but had been forced to leave when one of the lizard things had caught her scent and had almost dragged one of the soldiers straight to her. She had had plenty of time, however, to admire the young man's manner as he addressed his men. So royal, even after years of exile, months of being hunted, and now again he was in hiding. Back straight, he put on a strong front for his men, and she could see the effect it had had on them. They were completely loyal, ready to die for the young prince…she had felt the pull of his words herself, had sensed the emotion behind them.

When Iroh emerged from the trees, followed closely by Zuko, Katara, Sokka and Aang rose in unison from where they had been sitting. Toph already stood, near where the fire benders had entered the clearing, and merely waved cheerily to Iroh as he passed. He knew that she could not see a smile, so he waved back once before turning to face Aang.

"Young Avatar, I would like to present my nephew, Prince Zuko, whom I have told you about."

A hundred different emotions flickered across Aang's face, and Katara realized how hard this was for him, despite how he had hoped for this exact outcome, even though he had already agreed to accept the fire bender. Zuko had been the enemy for so long…

Zuko surprised them all then, as he stepped forward beside his uncle and bowed respectfully.

Aang returned the gesture and they rose in unison, eyes meeting as they straightened. Aang flashed one of his wide, mischievous grins and Zuko could not help but smile slightly in response. No one could resist that grin.

"I have come to help in your efforts against Fire Lord Ozai" Zuko stated, formal once more. "It is time to end this war and to rid the world of the corruption that has held the Throne for the past hundred years."

"Well met, Prince Zuko. Your help is very welcome." Aang replied, just as formal.

Iroh nodded his approval and they all sat in a loose ring to discuss their strategy.


	5. Chapter 5

Zuko listened first in respect, then in utter disbelief as the four children took turns recounting their journey, as they were pursued into the Earth Kingdom, and found the archeologist, as they flew out in search of a mythical library, and found it. When they reached the part where they began their search for any information regarding the fire nation, the girl…Katara, took over. Disbelief turned to a sick something that solidified into fear and horror as he heard what could be the end of his people described to him. Only Iroh's presence next to him and the promise he had made kept him from leaving right then and there, from running away from these people who sat there and calmly discussed…The sun would be gone. No fire bending. The Firenation would be helpless, weak, exposed. Even any citizens with bending abilities would be unable to fight back. It terrified him, as even Azula could not. He felt himself go ridged, tense, ready to strike...something, anything; yet at the same time he was cold, so cold inside and weak. Had he been standing he might have been shaking. He had never thought, even as he saw the Moon die, as he saw the Ocean spirit devastate Zhao's men as the waterbenders stood powerless by, he had never considered the possibility that the same helplessness could overcome him.

But as he sat there and listened, he began to see the sense in it, just as Uncle had told him he eventually would. He knew now, he understood that they knew it would mean not only a relatively easy victory with few casualties, but that they realized it meant fewer casualties _ion both sides_/i. And they wanted it. There was no plot for revenge here, nothing like what he himself would have done not long ago. They wanted as few people to suffer as was possible on both sides of the war. He didn't even know why the thought shocked him so powerfully, but watching and listening to this blue-eyed girl describe their plans to tear down his world, he found himself drawn in, found himself longing for the promised end as much as any one of them. He had felt the pain of war, and he knew what it could do. He had never considered that there could even be an end, and now here it was, as simple as the

Those blue eyes. Even after she had finished speaking and her brother had taken over to discuss the more technical points of the plan, those blue eyes watched him. They caught him, held his eyes whenever he looked her way. They held none of the hate that he had seen there last, no. The pain was not gone, and probably would never be, but what he saw there…there was hope. Brilliant, dazzling, her eyes shone with it, and with other emotions, hidden and confusing, but he could drown in the hope alone. He had to drag his attention back to the water tribe boy's strategizing each time. When they were done, Zuko stood hurriedly and excused himself. He had to clear his mind. Had to think.

He found himself on the bank of a small river shortly after, stood there a moment and just let the enormity of it all sink in. Once he got past the blue that still held his mind in a fog, things started coming at him, faster than he could handle. It was too much and his head was spinning in confusion. He had just sat there for the past hour and had candidly discussed just how to take down his own people. His own father. He had sat there and discussed how they would go in while his people were at their weakest, defenseless, and would…

Zuko took a deep breath and began a calming drill. He had to clear his mind. Slowly, steadily, one cautious step at a time, he began the familiar drills his uncle had taught him. The familiar motions soon had him calmer, and as he continued through one set after another, sometimes faster, sometimes slower, he went back through that strange, almost ethereal conversation one word at a time.

It was some time before he realized he was being watched.

The young prince had been gone for some time before Katara got up the nerve to follow him. Sokka and Iroh were deep in discussion and Toph had wandered off to find some quiet. Aang had gone to find Appa and probably wouldn't be back for a while.

Katara left the clearing unaware of Iroh's thoughtful gaze.

When she found him, he was well into an obviously familiar exercise, his body moving fluid and precise, leaping from one stance into another, flowing back up and then out again, and occasionally small flickers of flame would wisp about his hands or is feet, or be carried off on his breath. Katara moved cautiously a short ways down the bank and settled on a log by the water. Reaching out a hand she gently drew a small handful of water from the river and sat there weaving it in intricate patterns as she watched the fire bender flow through his sets.

The moment he noticed her, she was distracted by a particular twist that the water refused to make, and she had already spent long minutes twitching it this way and that, trying to figure out why it would not complete the pattern. She didn't notice the young man start, and stand still a moment before coming over and sitting on the other end of the log.

As his weight settled suddenly, the log bounced and rolled, just enough to send her over backwards and into the water with a rather undignified squeak.

Zuko immediately leapt up, not at all sure what he meant to do, but she was already out of the river and drawing the water from her clothes before he could get there. He blushed a thousand shades of red before she looked up to see him standing awkwardly there and…laughed. She streamed most of the water back into the river, keeping a small handful out, before sitting back down on the log- closer to the stable middle this time. Zuko followed suit, and ended up much closer than he had intended. He stiffened as their arms made contact, fighting for the calm he had achieved through his exercises. It was a hard fight.

"I- uh… sorry about that."

"It's fine. What's a little water to a waterbender?"

"Uhm, you still have a little mud… there…"

"Oh? Oops." Katara twisted about and flicked at the offending spot. Encouraged by her waterbending, the mud flew out and landed in the water with a soft iplop/i "There we go."

"I wish firebending were that useful" Zuko commented dryly. Katara laughed at his expression, blushing as he smirked.

A companionable silence fell over the two, as Zuko gazed off into the distance, and Katara toyed with her water.

Eventually, Katara sighed, and glanced over at the scarred prince pensively. "Are you afraid?"

"What?"

"The eclipse. Are you afraid of it. Your bending will be gone…"

Zuko grimaced. He had hoped he were less transparent. That _was_ one of the things bothering him so deeply. "What was it like, when the Moon... died?" He had seen it happen, had watched the moon turn red and then disappear entirely. He had seen everything cast only in the dim light of the stars, a cold deeper than anything he had experienced had settled over the world. He could only imagine how it felt to someone so deeply tied to the moon's power… Katara suppressed a shudder at the memory.

"When everything went dark…when the moon went red, it was like someone had reached inside and was tearing at i_me./i_ Not me, physically, but something, some part of me inside was dying with it. And then, when it all went dark… I've never felt so…alone." She shivered with the memory and Zuko fought the urge to put his arm around her. Despite the fact he knew she was a master bender in her own right, she seemed so fragile right then, lost in her memories.

"It was so cold…" Katara broke off suddenly, shaking her head. "I don't think it'll be quite like that at the eclipse, though." She looked up at him. "The sun isn't _idying_/i. This has happened before, and it's …natural." He saw her mouth quirk ironically at the word.

"Will the water benders lose their power at the eclipse, too? What happens to the moon in an eclipse like this?" He felt her stiffen beside him. He kept his eyes carefully on the river flowing past.

"I…don't know. I don't think so, the Moon will be in front of the sun… I don't know."

He looked down at the emotion in her voice, startled, in time to see her shiver again.

He did it before he could catch himself this time. His arm went of its own accord over her shoulder and pulled her closer. She was so cold, huddled so small against his side. He tried not to show his own shock at what he had done. She stiffened after a moment, as if realizing what had just happened, but she did not pull away immediately, and Zuko felt a strange thrill as he felt her relax, just a little, under his protective arm.

_iWell…that was unexpected/i_ she thought, but to her own surprise she made no effort to pull away. It felt…natural. Safe. She looked down at her hands and realized that at some point she had let the little globe of water drift down to soak into the cold clay under their feet. She sighed. _iI just don't know…/i_

"What were you doing, when I came?" she asked suddenly, straightening.

The young man jumped slightly and pulled his arm back as if he had been bitten.

"I-I…I was practicing some drills. M-my uncle taught me."

Aw, he was blushing again.

"Some of them didn't look entirely like fire bending. I think I recognized a few motions."

"My uncle has traveled a lot. He told me he learned some of those moves from water benders at the south pole." He jumped up suddenly, almost upsetting the log again in his awkward haste.

"Would you show me some of them again?"

"U-uhm, sure." He gulped.

Katara stood and joined him by the water. With a twist of her hand she pulled a long thread of water up from the river once more. She took a stance.

Oh, i_great/i_. Just i_great/i_. What was wrong with him?

It was her eyes again. He had to get away from those eyes. They had tormented him in his memory and imagination with their harsh accusation, but now he needed to escape from the trust they now so expressively i_exuded_/i. How could he be forgiven so easily? From his Uncle, he could accept, if not understand it, but from iher/i...she had no reason to give him another chance.

And now the girl was giving him just what he needed- a distraction. _iHow did she do it?_/i How could she know him well enough…

Or maybe it was for her own sake. Yeah, that's it. All that talk about eclipses and cold have her edgy, and she needs a distraction.

Resolved, he began with the first set his uncle had shown him, that time on the cliff, after Azula…that first time they had fought together...Zuko squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to clear the memory away.

As he moved through the sets, he could sense the girl following behind him, move for move, caught glimpses as her waterbending training smoothed out each motion into one fluid sweep as his fire-trained muscles moved sharply, violently through to the end of each set.

They moved in strange harmony, their differences turning the simple exercise into a dance.

"All right, your turn" he said, when they reached the end of one set. She glanced at him quizzically, hesitated, then with a quick, almost subconscious glance over her shoulder she started into a beginner's exercise Master Pakku had taught her within the first week of her training.

Neither of them noticed their audience, when the old man came and stood at the edge of the trees, nor when he left and wandered back to the camp to suggest an early lunch.

†††

It had been several days, and Azula was getting impatient for any word. She finally gave in and took one of the agents she had shadowing a minor official visiting the palace and sent him to find the agent that had been tracking her brother's men.

He came back with a single glove and a muddied black hat. So, her spiders were not infallible. Ah, well. It was good to know this now, and not when it would really count.

The idiot had fallen into the same swamp that had claimed four of her brother's men. The bedraggled remainders of the crew were on their way home even now. At least they hadn't lost any of the salamanders. Little Zuzu had known what he was about when he picked the best from the stables.

Zuko sincerely wished he had been able to keep at least one of the salamanders. His stomach lurched as the infernal beast leaped through the air and he saw the ground again, much too far below him. Katara i_walked/i_ over to him and put a hand on his wrist, smiling infuriatingly. She pulled slightly, forcing his hand away from the secure edge of the saddle, and turning him to face inwards. He couldn't decide what was worse- seeing the ground so far below, or not knowing at all where it was. He almost turned back to keeping an eye on the ground, but that girl had caught his eyes, and as her blue eyes trapped his, he found himself curious, despite his pressing fears.

She let go of his wrist and started some weaving motion with her hands, and Zuko recognized some of the rhythms from their exercises two days before. He began to follow, and as they sparred back and forth he felt some clarity returning to his mind. The little air bender saw what they were doing and _left the reigns_ to come join them at their exercises. Zuko almost lost his focus right there, but the kid saw the direction of his attention and moved to reassure him.

"Appa knows where we're going. He can fly on his own- he knows how." Then the kid grinned like an idiot little brother, and joined in the exercise, weaving in twists and swirls that could only be from the air-disciplines. Soon Katara and Aang were laughing outright as their hands smacked back and forth in mock battle, Sokka and Toph had scooted closer so that he could describe the game to her before she nosed her way in between Aang and Katara and started feeling her way through the game.

Iroh watched, satisfied, as he saw a small smile steal its way across even Zuko's habitually stern face.

Iroh gazed out across the landscape idly as they flew towards the hidden cove where they were to meet Hakoda and a small division of his men. The Water Tribe chief knew that the old man was with his children, but Iroh suspected they had not yet told him of the young Prince that would be joining their party, or the plans they had made for said young prince. A small frown creased his brow.

Katara was out of the saddle and on the ground running before Appa had settled. She turned and grinned as Zuko moved to catch her. She blushed as she turned back to face the approaching figures. She shouldn't be reacting this way to iZuko/i of all people! He had been their sworn enemy less than a week before, and here she was… iflirting with him?/i… no, most certainly not that, but definitely friends… so easily friends.

Katara shook it off as she ran headlong into her father's waiting arms. He hugged her soundly before pulling her away to meet her eyes. "And how is my girl doing? Keeping those three in line?"

"We're all doing fine, dad. And remember, there's not just four of us anymore…" Sokka came dashing up at that point and nearly bowled them all over. Hakoda laughed as he freed an arm to tousle Sokka's new-grown hair.

"And what is this? I'm being greeted like family by a bunch of fire nation warriors! Who would have ever thought!"

Katara suddenly remembered the newest i_fire nation/i_ additions to their group… that they had yet to introduce.


	6. Chapter 6

When Zuko heard the water tribe boy's shout _iDad!/i_ …it didn't hit as hard as he'd have thought it would. He glanced over at Iroh, i_he's all the father I ever needed. I'm glad I've finally figured it out…/i_

What did hit him, hard as a ton of bricks, was…apprehension. This was _iChief/i_ Hakoda, of the Northern Water Tribe, and he had every reason to hate the young prince. Every reason to turn him away, to reject him utterly or even imprison him for the rest of his life. But there was…even more to it than that. Zuko refused to let his thoughts wander any farther than that.

Zuko caught himself lingering in the saddle of that huge furry monster, straightening his few belongings. He had brought only a little food and his twin blades, leaving the rest with his men back in their clearing. When that didn't take even enough for the family reunion to be done, Zuko helped his uncle down, making sure to keep the older man carefully between him and Katara's father. Toph snorted impatiently as Katara turned to glance over her shoulder at them.

"Dad…" He heard Katara start, hesitantly. Zuko realized right then that Hakoda probably had no clue he was even there. He swallowed nervously and concentrated on looking extremely trustworthy and humble and strong and dependable at the same time. He looked over to see the waterbender waving him and Iroh over.

"This is Iroh. He's the one we told you about- the uncle of Prince Zuko and retired General in the Firenation's navy." Iroh bowed respectfully, and Hakoda returned the gesture thoughtfully before turning to face Zuko.

"And this is Prince Zuko, Iroh's nephew. He joined us two days ago an-" Zuko was halfway through his deep bow at that moment, face hidden, but he felt himself wince at the sharp intake of breath that came from the girl's father. He sensed Katara holding her breath, and realized he was, too. Zuko held his position, head down, bent at the waist, and waited for the explosion that was sure to come.

It didn't.

"Prince…?"

"Yes, dad."

"The one who attacked our home?"

Katara didn't reply, so Zuko assumed she just nodded.

"Chased you and Sokka halfway around the world…?"

Silence again. Zuko's back began to ache as he held his bow.

Hakoda drew a deep breath. "And yet you trust him now." He said flatly.

An emphatic "Yes, dad" that made Zuko glad he had kept his face hidden as a pleased blush spread warmth across his face.

"I do, too. He's been helping me with the strategy, him and Iroh, and they've been pointing out things I'd never have known to even look for." Sokka sounded almost uncharacteristically serious, surprising Zuko. He glanced up quickly to find Hakoda looking at him thoughtfully, before he bowed his welcome, and he and Zuko (gratefully) straightened. Hakoda held out his hand, and Zuko, not familiar with the gesture, mimicked him hesitantly. The warrior gripped his forearm, and as Zuko followed his lead and they shook, he saw Katara beaming and Sokka watching appraisingly, and dared a flicker of a smile.

They stepped back, Zuko daring to appraise the man with the same close, evaluating look Hakoda was giving him. A strong man, weathered. He cared about his family, and those close to him. It was strange how different two fathers could be…

Katara breathed a quiet sigh of relief as her father returned the fire nation bow, and then grinned outright as he greeted Zuko as a fellow warrior. They stood there a moment, sizing each other up, before Sokka stepped in, throwing an arm about the two mens' shoulders, and hauled them bodily over to a clear spot above the tideline. He pulled out a chart, smoothing it across the sand. As he crouched down next to Sokka, Zuko turned and met Katara's eyes. The relief and, yes, thanks in his eyes made her heart race. She heard Toph snicker and turned to glare, wishing she could pull out even just a tiny waterwhip without drawing too much attention. She settled for stalking off to find something to batter discreetly.

A couple hours later found her standing waist deep in the water off the shore of their little island, staring out at the sea. She heard Zuko come quietly up behind her. He didn't say anything, just sighed heavily and dropped onto the grass by the water's edge. Katara let go of the water she had been toying with and joined him wearily.

"It's a good thing Uncle listens to me. No one else would have heard a thing I said."

"You just need to earn their trust. I don't think it should take too long. When they trust Uncle, they should be ready to start trusting you."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It won't be."

"I know..." Zuko sighed again. It was altogether too easy to trust this girl, when everything he had learned in his life told him he could not trust ianyone/i. He wished fervently that he knew how she did it.

Zuko lay back against the dry grass. This was nothing like the earth kingdom lands, with their fertile green plains, or even the outlying fire nation settlements. Here, in the harsh rocky soil, growth was stunted, life struggled to live under the shadow of the mountains. The sky was clear, but the sun seemed to lend little warmth, here by the shore of the muddied river.

The girl shifted closer to him, and Zuko fought the urge to scoot away. It was still too strange trusting anyone other than Uncle, and she seemed to sense it. iAm I that easy to read?/i

Zuko stood up hastily, and Katara rose with him.

"I need to find my uncle. Sorry to interrupt your practice"

He strode quickly back through the trees to find his uncle brewing a small pot of tea. He knelt down across the small flame without a word, and Iroh gave him an unreadable look before returning to his tea.

Katara stood watching the prince's retreating back, confused. iWhat is going on here? I shouldn't be talking with bhim/bof all people. Not to mention btrusting/b him!/i He just seemed so...no, not different. Katara remembered what she had seen in his eyes when they were trapped together under Ba Sing Se. He had hidden so many things, so well. And now, he wasn't different, because it had always been there, but he iwas/i changing- fewer things were hidden. He had let himself start hoping, start... feeling.

Katara quickly skittered away from that thought, twisted a last dribble of water from her clothes, and walked off into the trees, following the fire bender's footsteps.

†††

A shadow slipped through the trees, light as a wisp of smoke spun from a distant fire. Azula's eyes, her little black-clad spider, crept up to the edge of the clearing. He watched the group of men gathered closely around the map, straining his ears for any hint of voices, but even here, where they felt almost safe, the party was wary, and spoke too low.

He shifted uncomfortably on the pillow of sand he had made to cushion any noise he might make. There had been some close calls, where that strange blind girl had almost heard him, and he needed to be more careful than he had ever had to be as a Dai Li agent. He longed to leave, to go back to the city he had been trained and conditioned to protect, and every moment he spent here was almost torture as he warred with himself...but Azula had given him orders, and he had no choice but to follow his strongest conditioning- follow the leader of the Dai Li. He had no choice but to remain here until he had found the date of the invasion, the Day of Black Sun.

Zuko looked up as the waterbender came in through the stunted trees and came over to the fire.

"Iroh, have you seen my brother?"

"No, I haven't, but if you would like to join us, me and my nephew were just about to enjoy this lovely pot of tea. I am certain your brother will return before we are finished." Iroh patted the ground...closer to Zuko than to himself. Zuko shot him a sharp glance, but the old man's face was clear and...altogether too innocent.

Zuko almost sighed in relief when Katara politely rejected the invitation.

"I really need to talk to him. And dad, if I can find ihim/i." The girl looked distractedly into the woods beyond the fire. "It'll be getting dark soon, and he wanted to head out to start spreading the new plans." she sighed loudly, and suddenly dropped down right where Iroh had indicated. If anything, closer to Zuko.

He stiffened.

She didn't seem to notice.

Katara stood there, hesitating, and glanced distractedly towards the edge of the clearing. iHe's right. I'll never find them here if they don't want to be found, and they'll be coming back soon enough. I can catch them both then…/i

She gave up and dropped to the ground by the fire. She only realized how close she had shifted to Zuko when she sensed him stiffen next to her, and it was too late to do anything now, not without being horribly awkward. She swore she could hear Toph snicker, even though she knew the delusional earth bender was nowhere near enough for her to have heard the sound. Was it just her imagination, then?

Katara picked up one of the small, chipped teacups that Iroh had pulled from his bag.

"That one is from my tea shop in Ba Sing Se."

The old man's statement startled Katara out of her thoughts, and her hand closed convulsively over the cup. iWait, wha…?/i Her mind went blank as she tried to catch her train of thought.

"I managed to hide it in my sleeve the whole time I was imprisoned! I have only two others left."

"You really owned that huge tea-house?"

Iroh beamed, and Katara knew she had asked the right question, as Iroh began a long-winded ramble about his time in Ba Sing Se and the wonderful tea-houses there. None of them, of course, could compete with his humble brew, however. He passed a small cup to Zuko, who still sat stiff and silent beside her, and gave Katara the honor of pouring the tea, which led to another long discussion on the etiquette of tea-pouring. His mild antics had Katara laughing happily and even the dour prince smiling when Sokka and Hakoda came into sight.

Katara immediately set down her cup and turned to thank Iroh for the tea. With her back to them, she couldn't see the expressions that flickered over her brother's or her father's faces.

Zuko let out a slight sigh as Katara stood and walked over to her father and brother. He glanced at Iroh, and, correctly interpreting the gleam in his eyes, downed his tea and stood hastily.  
"Wait a moment, nephew. Why are you in such a hurry?"  
"I need to finish my practice before the sun sets, Uncle, please."  
"Ah, good idea! I saw you practicing with the young waterbender the other morning. That is a very good way to learn. I see you are taking my lessons seriously now."  
"I need to be stronger before can I face Azula." Zuko faltered at the look on Iroh's face.  
"You plan on participating in the invasion." The flat-toned statement confused Zuko. iDoesn't he want this?/i  
"Yes, Uncle."  
"I see. You are certain." The same flat tone. Zuko looked over to find Iroh regarding him closely.  
"I am certain, Uncle. This is something I need to do. I can't leave this responsibility to anyone else. If I'm going to be worthy to one day lead the Fire Nation, I need to be strong enough to protect it." Iroh's gaze did not falter.  
"You must be certain of this, iPrince/i Zuko. There can be no more questions in your heart. You cannot repeat your mistakes."  
Zuko winced at the pointed reference to his choices in Ba Sing Se. He knew he had earned some distrust, though from Iroh it hurt.  
"I will not falter."  
"Good. Starting tomorrow, you will be training alongside the Avatar. He must learn firebending before the Day of Black sun, and the young healer told me that he would be ready to begin at dawn."  
Zuko sat still a moment, taken aback. It was a surprise to him. Through all the time he had spent chasing the Avatar, it had never occurred to him that the boy had never learned iall/i of the elements. He'd never thought about it at all really, except to know that the boy had gone to the Water Tribe to find a master. After that, it hadn't really mattered.  
Zuko jumped slightly as Sokka sat down abruptly next to him.  
"What'cha talking about?" He asked, overly casual. Iroh offered him a cup of tea, and the boy accepted with a nod.  
"We were discussing the Avatar's training." Iroh said quietly.  
"You're going to try teaching him firebending?" Sokka replied just as quietly. Zuko glanced at him.  
"Yes. Zuko and I will be teaching him."  
"It might be difficult..." Sokka trailed off and glanced over at the younger boy playing with his lemur.  
"Aang had an...experience with firebending a little while ago. He might not be very cooperative." Zuko was surprised again at how serious the water tribe boy could get, but Iroh took it in stride.  
"I see." He stroked his beard pensively. "However, he needs to learn at least the basics before he can hope to face the Fire Lord as he plans. We will have to see what can be done."  
Sokka shifted uncomfortably, realizing again just who he was sitting with, and cleared his throat loudly. "Anyway-"  
"Sokka." Iroh cut him short. "I was wondering if you could help us in our training. I am certain you would not mind learning some new techniques."  
The young man drooped visibly. "I can't bend..."  
"Does that stop you from fighting? I am well aware that you cannot bend, and I also know that you get along quite well without it. I wanted to teach you to fight a bender, yes, but you do not need bending abilities to do so. If you are willing, I would teach you to use a sword."  
Zuko glanced at his uncle. This was the very man who had taught ihim/i to use his blades so effectively. The firebender felt something stir in him, and quickly pinned down the shameful emotion. iJealousy. I'm jealous that Uncle would teach anyone but me./i He berated himself silently and waited for Sokka to respond. He could see the distrust and stubbornness warring in the young man's eyes.  
"I...I would be honored to accept your training." Sokka seemed surprised at himself as the words came of their own volition from his mouth.  
"Good. Tomorrow morning you and the Avatar will join my nephew and I for our morning meditation. We will begin training immediately. Would you like some more tea?"


	7. Chapter 7

"Thank you for trusting us, dad."  
"Hm?" Katara's father looked down at her in mild confusion.  
"About Zuko. I really know he will be able to help us, and I know he wants to make things right again. He's been hurt just as much as we have by this war."

Hakoda drew his daughter into a tight hug. "I trust your judgment, Katara. You've always been good at seeing the heart of a person, and I can see you trust these two. Just be careful. I don't want you getting too involved and letting emotion cloud your sight."  
Katara tilted her head up to look her father in the face. It was funny, he wasn't half as tall as he had seemed that day when he had left with the other warriors. He was still head and shoulders above her, but she had grown. She was able to take care of herself now. "Don't worry, dad. I can handle things here. Besides, if anyone gets out of line, I've got Toph as backup!"  
"That you do." Hakoda glanced across the clearing towards the little stone tent the earthbender had knocked out of the ground. From the brief meetings he had had with the girl, he knew she could be trusted to watch out for her friends. Hakoda smiled slightly and looked back at his daughter. "You have done so much in such a short time. You should know how proud I am of you."  
"I know, dad. Thanks." Katara leaned into the safe, warm arms of her father for a moment more before pulling back and catching his sleeve. She led him to the fire and sat down between Zuko and Iroh. Zuko shifted over to make room for her, and Hakoda and Iroh exchanged pleasant greetings. Sokka looked over at his sister with a comically confused look on his face, and Katara had to repress a laugh as she sent him a question back with her eyes. Sokka shrugged and looked over at Iroh and Hakoda.  
"Your son has agreed to learn the way of the sword from me, Cheif Hakoda. He is a fine young man, and will be a great warrior one day, with this desire to learn."  
"Sokka, you do always manage to surprise me. What will you learn next? Knife throwing?"  
Sokka shuddered visibly at the memories that thought brought back. "No, I don't think I'll be going there." He said emphatically. Katara laughed and looked around at their strange little circle. iI wonder, is this how Aang remembers everything? Is this what it used to be like, before the war?/i

Hakoda noticed her sudden silence and glanced down at her, only to find that he wasn't the only one watching.

Zuko noticed Katara fall silent as Iroh and Sokka continued the easy banter. He looked at her, sitting next to her, and was struck by the same thought that had the water bender so quiet. iWhat was it like, before the war? Was it like this, so easy and peaceful? Could it possibly be like that ever again? My family, my people, have done so much damage to this world, and to themselves./i Zuko had seen enough of the world by now to know that not all Fire Nation citizens supported the war. Not everyone agreed with his father's ideals.

This is what it should have been like. In a world like this, things could have been so different. There would have been no need for him to prove himself- his father could have loved him from the beginning. Azula would never have grown up the way she had, twisted by her father's vision. Their mother would never have needed to go into hiding, Lu Ten would never have gone to war in the first place, would never have been killed.

Countless families would now be living in peace and the only things they would have to fear were getting the harvest in and keeping the predators away from their flocks. Katara's mother would never have died.

iHis/i mother would not have vanished.

He would never have been banished.

He would never have gone to the South Pole.

He would not be here now, surrounded by friends, yet planning the downfall of his own people.

He would never have met...her.

Hakoda suddenly broke through his reverie, addressing Sokka and Katara.

"So, what now? We have about two weeks until the eclipse left, and our preparations are almost complete. All we have left to do now is wait, as I see it."

"Maybe we should stay where we were, keep scouting the palace" Sokka suggested.

"It was too much of a risk in the first place. There are only thirteen days until the eclipse, and the closer we get, the more dangerous it is going to get, and the worse it would be if something went wrong." Hakoda shook his head. "No, I'd rather you stay away for now. You can keep an eye on the city from the mountains just as well for now."

"Uncle and I should stay away from the palace, as well. We are too easily recognized." Zuko almost bit his tongue as everyone's eyes swung towards him. He forced himself to go on. "We should find a safe place in the foothills to train. We need to be ready when the time comes."

He looked to Iroh when no one said anything.  
"I think that's a good idea, actually." Katara came to his rescue. "Aang still isn't fully healed, and we all need to train more. We've been so focused on staying hidden that none of us have been keeping up with our practice. We should find a safe place where we can stay until the eclipse."

"I don't like the idea of leaving you so close to the capitol city for any longer. You should come with us on the ships, and we can continue planning in Kyoshi."

"No, dad, we need to stay close. Besides, we can't afford word of Aang getting out. Most people still think he's dead, and we already know how quickly news travels out of Kyoshi."

Zuko nodded slightly in affirmation, and caught Iroh's eye. "Uncle?"

Zuko sighed almost audibly as their attention flickered past him again, and on to his Uncle.

"I may know of a place or two. Would you be willing to trust me?" Katara looked at Sokka, then nodded to Iroh.

They spent another day there on the shore of their little island, finalizing plans and meeting places. At sunrise Iroh had woken Aang, Sokka and Zuko and led the moaning troop off down the beach. Katara had had a restless night, the moon, just past full, proving too much of a lure, especially when her other option was a night full of unsettling dreams and small, silent terrors. When the sleepy little procession passed, she was waist deep in the receding tide, lost in a liquid world.

She was brought back sharply when Sokka caught a large rock with his foot and almost went face-down in the pebbly sand, except that he fell on Aang. Katara watched as the two went down in a heap, and Iroh turned to untangle the two as Zuko stepped disgustedly past the clumsy pile. She let the globe of water suspended in front of her sink back into the water and ducked silently under the next swell, a sudden idea claiming her. She took a half step back, following the pull of the wave, and then, as the next wave pushed up behind her, the waterbender took a quick two steps forward, lifting her arms and pulling the wave with her entire body. The wave shot up the beach, and rose at a flick of her wrists.

Iroh paused as he stepped forward to help his two newest pupils, something catching his attention from the corner of his eye.

He stepped neatly out of the way as the towering wave rushed past.

Sokka and Aang both squawked indignantly as the icy water pounded down on them, and Zuko was knocked off-balance, landing hard on top of the other two. He wiped the water from his face and glared wetly at the figure rising from the waves. He started to steam outright when Katara doubled over, laughing helplessly. The Avatar disentangled himself quickly and got two steps down the beach before Iroh, tears of laughter streaming down his cheeks, caught the boy by the collar and spun him back in the direction they had been going. Zuko picked himself up, stiff with outrage, and Sokka stood there dripping pathetically as Katara came up the sand towards them, still laughing.

"Good morning!" She cried cheerily, waving.

"Good morning, Katara. Thank you for waking my pupils up properly. I was beginning to worry they would fall asleep during our first lesson."

"Glad to be of help, Iroh." With a smooth twist of her hand the bender drew the salty water from the boys' clothing, and held it in a loose globe at her side.

"Would you like to join us this morning, Katara?" Iroh gestured towards the large flat rock they had been walking towards.

"I might. What are you up to?"

Zuko glared at their backs as they started back along the beach towards the rock.

"We were going to meditate with the sunrise-"

"I thought you were going to teach me swordfighting!" Sokka wailed in a betrayed voice from the back of the group. Katara slapped him in the forehead with the water she still held.

Iroh looked over his shoulder at him "And I am, my impatient pupil. The first thing you must learn in all disciplines is control. Without complete control, a warrior cannot think or fight efficiently. They are as much a danger to themselves as they are to their enemy."

Sokka followed, silently sulking and rubbing at his head.

Zuko snorted, outwardly disgusted, but inwardly he was moaning just as loudly.

They reached the rock and Aang leaped lightly up on a puff of air, settling himself crosslegged as the rest of the group clambered up the steep side to the flat top. Iroh sat down, facing the east, and the open ocean. Sokka, Zuko and Katara fanned out to either side of him.

"Now, clear your minds. This exercise is about focus. You must clear your minds of all distractions, and know only yourself. Choose one thing to feel. Feel your breath, flowing in and out, in, and out, or listen to the beat of your heart..."

Katara quickly lost interest, the soft hiss of the waves on the coarse sand still irresistible. Moving slowly and quietly, she rose from the rock and climbed carefully down the steeper side, straight to the water's edge. Wading out deeper into the water, she found a barely submerged boulder further out. As the sky brightened, nearing sunrise, the water bender took a steady, confident stance, and began a meditation of her own, letting the shifting waves govern her breathing, her heartbeat, her body swaying with the inexorable pull of the ocean, as she ibecame/i her element. All she could hear was the ocean surrounding her, as the moon set and the sun rose.

Zuko shifted, impatiently, as he listened to Iroh explain this most basic exercise. He had learned this meditation when he was barely old enough to walk, had sat next to his cousin, Lu Ten, and listened to him shift impatiently, too, as Iroh's voice droned on in a quiet monotone about balance and focus and...

Zuko came quickly out of his memory when he felt something brush lightly against his hand. The avatar sat to his right, and beyond him sat the water tribe boy. Iroh stood now, in a relaxed stance, before them, facing the spot where the sun would soon rise as he droned on the memorized rote of the meditation. Zuko looked around for what could have touched his hand, confused, and started slightly as he heard a small splash in the water below their rock. He tensed, expecting the worst, only to sigh silently when he saw the water bender wading out through the waves, and climb up on a submerged rock out amongst the waves.

His meditative trance completely lost, he sat silently, watching the girl as she steadied herself against the waves that pulled at her legs, and slowly found the rhythm of the ocean. He found his breath slowing, a sense of silent peace washing over him as he felt his breathing fall in rhythm with the slow sway of her body, the soft sound of the waves on the shore. Unconsciously, his own breathing slowed to match the quiet waves as if he, too, could somehow feel the silent call of the sea.

Iroh shifted his weight cautiously, hearing the soft snore of the water tribe boy behind him blend with the sounds of the young avatar's steady breathing, and the sound of his nephew's breath slowly join the rhythm of the ocean, as the sun rose, and the moon set.


	8. Chapter 8

They set out just before noon that day. Katara and Sokka went aside with their father to say goodbye, leaving Toph, Aang, Zuko and Iroh to load their belongings into Appa's saddle. Well, not Zuko. He wandered off shortly before they were to leave, and came back just after they had finished the work of loading the saddle, a fact which Toph did not hesitate to point out. Zuko glared at her, but then met Sokka's suspicious eyes.

"Toph has a point. Where've you been the last half hour?"

Zuko just shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe he was off hiding messages to his spies!" Toph cried exaggeratedly, and grinned hugely when Sokka drew his boomerang, and took two running steps, as Zuko took an offensive stance, ready to meet Sokka head on, before Katara managed to get between the two.

"Aw, Katara..." Toph whined.

Katara just rolled her eyes at Toph. She knew the blind girl would get the posture, even if she couldn't see the gesture.

"Guys, we really don't have time for this. Sokka, Zuko was not out reporting to a spy, Toph would have told us. Zuko, you know Sokka has reason to be suspicious. You shouldn't be so easily provoked-" Iroh choked on his tea as he walked past, but Katara ignored him stoically. "-because it won't help anything. You still have to earn everyone's trust. We have forgiven you, but it's harder to trust than to forgive." She took a few steps towards him, closing the gap between them. She reached up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Trust takes time. Just give us some time, ok?" She looked into his eyes for a moment longer, before turning to face her brother.

Sokka looked slightly crestfallen at Katara's comfort near the firebender, but took two quick steps back at the dangerous look in her eyes.

"You know better than this, Sokka. You agreed with us that Zuko would be allowed to join our group. You promised to give him a chance. That does not mean bashing him over the head the moment you think he might have done something wrong. As I said, trust takes time. At least give the rest of us some time to try to trust him before you knock him senseless, ok? Right now, we're all on the same side. Right Toph?"

"Uh, right, whatever you say, Katara. I still want to see them duke it out, though." Toph pouted slightly. She turned back to Appa, boosted herself up to the saddle on a pillar of earth, and reached out for Aang to catch her. The young Avatar leaped lightly up to catch Toph's hand and guide the blind girl onto the saddle.

"I was… taking care of something…" Zuko muttered darkly, too quietly for anyone to hear, as Sokka stalked threateningly past him and tossed his weapons up into the saddle before climbing up himself.

Zuko hefted his backpack, scrubbing soft sand and tree sap from his hands as he waited until Sokka was settled. He was still frustrated that he hadn't found whoever had been on the island with them last night. He scowled as he climbed up behind Sokka, keeping his suspicions to himself.

The rest of the gaang followed suit, clambering up Appa's side to settle in the saddle. Sokka glowering warily at Zuko as the banished prince glared pensively at his knees.

They waved and watched as the water tribe men boarded the Fire Nation trading ship they had commandeered, waiting only until they had shoved away from the shore before Aang gave the command and Appa took to the sky.

This time around, there was no need for Katara to distract Zuko from their altitude. She just had to sit between him and Sokka to keep them from potentially throwing each other off the sky bison's saddle as Toph listened as hard as she could for any sign of a fight. Katara sighed. With her egging them on, it would be all too easy for the two boys to kill each other outright. She was suddenly glad, once again, that she was a master water bender. She should be able to handle the two hotheaded boys.

†††

iThirteen, no, eleven days until the eclipse, now./i The Dai Li agent had been running for a day and a half now. He had not stopped to eat or to sleep. He had paused only long enough to collapse by the edge of an icy stream and guzzle a few mouthfuls of water before leaping up and dashing off again.

iI've never been trained for this sort of thing. I can't keep up this pace for much longer, but if I don't get there soon, the Princess will kill me before I can say a word...I've taken too long already.../i It was all the man could do to stay on his feet, to keep pushing forward, as his body screamed out for relief. He could not afford to rest, though. Not yet. His conditioning left no room for failure. He would serve his master, or die trying.

iEleven days.../i  
The forests pounded by in a grey-brown blur.

The night before they had touched down in the clearing they had used before, where Zuko had met the Av...Aang, truly, for the first time.

That night they had approached the soldiers from Zuko's old crew, the ones that he had had stay behind with him.

The men had received word from those who had returned to the palace.

The soldiers had received minimal punishment from Azula. They were demoted to foot soldiers, and sent back to the barracks. They had not met with their commander, as they should have, by army regulations, nor did they appear before a martial court. Things had been handled quickly, efficiently, and suspiciously quietly.

iShe wasn't sad to see me go, was she?/i Zuko thought sarcastically to himself. iNot only that, but she's trying to cover this all up. What is she planning?/i

The soldiers were dispersed, told to find safe places to hide for the next eight days. On the ninth day, they were to sneak in as close as they could to the palace, and wait for their Prince's signal.

Not one of them saw the Avatar, and no one was told of the eclipse in ten days. They were loyal, and would follow his directions.

Now, two days after leaving the water tribe warriors behind, Zuko sat in Appa's saddle, the same as the day before, and the day before that, watching the water tribe boy cautiously out of the corner of his eye. The peasant was still watching threateningly.

Maybe, if they hadn't been so worried about each other, they might have seen it coming.

Then again, it might not have made a difference.

An odd sound from below caught Zuko's attention first, and he glanced over the side of the saddle. He ducked down, narrowly missing losing his head to a small catapult charge that whistled by just over the saddle. Zuko shouted for everyone to get down as more shots flew past, dusting the saddle with sparks and droplets of flaming oil. Katara cried out, startled, as a large cinder bounced off of her hand, sitting up sharply to get away from the cinders littering the saddle.

Zuko heard a familiar whoosh as a large, ground-mounted catapult was released, and only enough time to register it as the huge flaming boulder rose up at the sky bison.

They were flying too low to avoid it, and despite the Avatar's efforts it struck the bison a glancing blow, sending the stench of burning fur washing over them all. The bison bellowed and bucked, trying to rise higher, away from the soldiers below, but another boulder flew just overhead, forcing the bison back down, into the path of yet another boulder. This one struck with much more accuracy, sending the beast and its passengers flying through the air. Everyone grabbed what they could, and clung on for dear life. Toph was already firmly gripping the saddle, as she had been the whole ride, and Iroh had his arm looped around her and and his other arm through one of the straps that held down the luggage. Sokka and Zuko had both anchored themselves in their corners, and were holding on for dear life when Katara's shriek hit them both.

She had been sitting in the middle of the saddle, away from any handholds, to stay between them.

Both boys launched themselves toward her at the same moment, but Iroh was faster. He let go of Toph, snatching at Katara's collar as she slid past him and pushing her firmly at an anchor near him.

Sokka and Zuko skidded to a stop in the middle of the saddle, where Katara had been, both heaving a sigh of relief, just as Appa finally found an opening to ascend. The saddle bucked suddenly, sending them both flying backwards.

Zuko's flailing hand caught the flapping strap of his bag, and he latched on to it tightly as Sokka caught onto his legs, clinging there more tightly than any pentapus could have managed. Zuko grunted at the strain on his arm, and tried swinging his other arm up at the saddle's edge. He couldn't reach...

"Hold on, Zuko!" Iroh bellowed, trying to find a way over the baggage to his nephew.

Appa bucked again, and Zuko's bag came loose from its bindings.

They seemed to hang there in the air for one sickening moment, and Zuko had time to register his Uncle's horrified face appearing over the edge of the saddle, before they plummeted down into the trees below.

"NO!" Katara shrieked as she saw her brother and the firenation prince thrown over the back of the saddle. She saw Zuko's hand catch the strap of one of the packs as they flew past, saw the strap tighten as the weight of at least one body settled onto it. She couldn't tell if her brother was attached to it as well or not. All she could do was sit there, reaching helplessly, as if glued to the ring in Appa's saddle, as the old man sprung from his spot, clinging to the luggage ties, scrambling towards the white-knuckled hand. She couldn't hear a thing, as time seemed to slow, and she saw the old man reach the edge of the saddle, obscuring her view. Time froze for an instant, silent, etched forever on her memory, as she saw two figures appear below them, suspended in mid-air, then seemed to pick up again as they disappeared into the trees below. Katara suddenly became aware once more of the sound of the catapult charges whistling past. She heard the old man's pained bellow, Toph's terrified shriek, Appa's pained grunts as he tried to rise higher, towards the relative safety of the upper airs.

"No." She whispered in a broken voice, searching the trees below for any glimpse of the two figures, one in black, the other in blue.  
There was no sign.

†††

All was going so well.

Her little black-clad spider had come in that morning, literally dropping at her feet, and had panted out his news.

iTen days. Ten days until the eclipse. Well, it's a good thing I'm already almost ready./i Azula had begun preparations the day she had returned from Ba Sing Se, and still no one knew of it. She had hid her tracks well.

And it turned out her brother was not dead at all. She was more surprised at the fact that...well, it surprised her. He had never done anything remotely surprising the entire time she had known him. He had never been able to catch her off guard, never been able to even make her think twice.

He had joined with his uncle, no surprise there, but then he had gone and sided with the Avatar. This also surprised her.

This was not a good trend.

However, these things did not change her plans in the least.

Actually... things could not have been better.


	9. Chapter 9

They rose higher, everyone but Toph craning about to try and spot Sokka and Zuko. They couldn't see a thing from this altitude, and so, after Katara had healed the worst of Appa's burns, and Aang had checked the bison over himself, they went back down. They could not tell exactly where the two boys had fallen, and they could not see the soldiers through the trees. They zigzagged across the forest, creeping closer to the foot of one of the Fire Nation's many mountains, searching hopelessly for their lost companions, and instead found another encampment of soldiers.  
An immediate shout went up from below them as the soldiers scrambled to light the already loaded catapults, and a familiar barrage filled the air, forcing them once again low and close to the trees.  
Appa fought desperately to gain the upper air once more, but it was a losing battle. They circled, trying to break free from the network of flaming boulders that kept them down.  
Appa's fur was smoldering in several places, and the great beast groaned, nearing panic as the flames singed his skin.  
Katara stood shakily, one hand clinging to the ring anchor, and with the other hand drew the water from the small barrel that was tied to the outside of the saddle. Fanning it out carefully, she began to smother the flames and sooth the burns on Appa's sides, but there was not much she could do one-handed. Without thinking, she let go of the saddle, grasping the water with both hands and swinging it down to deflect another boulder that came up from below, but it was too large, and coming too fast.  
As the flaming rock hit Appa's exposed belly, the large beast roared in pain, bucking violently, throwing Katara completely clear of the saddle. Aang, at the reigns, heard her cry out as she flew through the air away from Appa.  
He immediately let go of the reigns, glancing back at the two that remained in the saddle to make sure they were secure, and threw himself downwards towards the spiraling Katara.  
He flung his glider down before him, and it popped open as he rushed down to meet it.  
He caught Katara around the waist just as they entered the trees.  
Aang was forced to maneuver the twisted maze of clawing branches, unable to find any opening other than the one they had made falling through. He heard soldiers calling out as he flew by just over their heads, barely dodging the flames they threw at him as he twisted madly through the trees.  
They soon left the shouting soldiers behind, but by this time Aang had no idea where they were, or where Appa was. He had even less of an idea where Zuko and Sokka had fallen.  
They flew up the mountainside, dodging through the thinning trees. Finally Aang saw a clearing up ahead, and he flew eagerly towards it, breaking through into open air and immediately swinging up towards the sky. He felt Katara's arms tighten convulsively around his chest, and he glanced down at her pale face. She stared wide-eyed up at him as they broke past the tops of the trees...into empty air.  
There was no sign of Appa, not even a plume of smoke to signal where they had encountered the soldiers. There was nothing.  
Aang cried out, pained, at the sight of that empty sky.  
He had lost them, lost Appa, again.

"Zuko! Oh crap, come on, Zuko, get up! They're coming!"  
Zuko tried to move, but everything hurt so much...  
"Come on, you idiot, or they'll get us both. I can't fight this many alone!"  
The voice held a note of panic, and Zuko managed to open his eyes, in time to see a signal flare shoot up above the trees.  
iShoot/i  
Fire nation soldiers.  
Zuko felt his pack next to him, the straps still clutched in his hand. He sprung up, and nearly toppled back over as a wave of nauseous pain washed over him. A hand grabbed his shoulder, steadying him, and he spun to see the water tribe boy staring at him in concern.  
"You know, she'll kill whichever one of us goes back alone."  
Zuko stared at him mutely, but spun again as he heard another flare go off. They really were coming.  
He checked his sheath, strapped securely to his back, and was relieved to find both blades still firmly in place. He pulled his pack up, not trusting himself to kneel down next to it, and thrust it mutely at Sokka. The water tribe boy caught it with a slight yelp, and Zuko motioned to his head, hoping the boy would catch the hint and not try making him speak. Sokka nodded slightly and held the bag as Zuko rummaged through it. He found what he was hoping for- a couple of knives, and a blue and white demon mask, miraculously unbroken.  
As soon as Zuko was done with the bag Sokka tied it shut and slung it over his own shoulder.  
"You broke my fall. I think you hit your head pretty hard. I was worried you weren't going to wake up there..." the boy broke off as Zuko thrust the sheathed knives at him, and proceeded to tie on the mask. Sokka looked at him a moment, before his face registered shock.  
"iYou're/i the Blue Spirit?! You!?" Zuko merely nodded, and looked towards the oncoming soldiers, drawing his twin blades. Sokka shoved the knives into his belt, pulling out his preferred boomerang, and looked quickly around at their surroundings.  
"We might be able to make a break for it, if we fight our way out that way" he said, gesturing slightly with his boomerang. "There are fewer men that way. We fell near the edge of their circle."  
Zuko still didn't trust himself to speak, it was hard enough to just stay standing, so he nodded again. Breathing deeply, he tried to steady his spinning head as the first of the soldiers burst from the trees into their little clearing.  
They stood there, back to back, as the soldiers surrounded them warily.  
"Ok, I'm ready now" Zuko whispered over his shoulder to Sokka. "I'll go ahead, you cover my back."  
"Hey, no way! You can hardly stand upright..."  
"Exactly. Do you want me at your back that way?"  
"Now that you mention it, I don't want you at my back at all. Ok, your plan it is, then."  
"On the count of three, then?"  
"Whenever you're ready, princy."  
Zuko growled, but it wasn't the moment to be fighting each other. That iwould/i come later.  
"One, two...three."  
Zuko pushed off in the direction Sokka had pointed out, flailing his swords more for balance than to actually do any harm. The soldiers before him took a step back, startled, but it only lasted a moment. Zuko barreled into them, toppling three soldiers and swinging his blades up and around to fend off the sword of a fourth. Sokka took out another that had made it around the masked prince, but was forced away by the pike-tip of a mounted soldier, and nearly fell as he bounced off the breastplate of a fire bender behind him. The man swung a fist at him, and Sokka barely ducked in time as the flame flew past his head. He jabbed his boomerang into the man's stomach, winding him long enough to stand and knock him out with a hard blow to the head.  
Zuko punched upwards, knocking a soldier's helmet off, and took him down with the hilt of his sword. Spinning and ducking, ignoring the pain that tried with every move to take him over, he engaged another soldier, attempting to fight his way back to the water tribe boy. Sokka appeared at his side, shouting at him, pointing in the opposite direction. Zuko almost argued back, but another soldier filled his view, and he was forced back that direction regardless.  
Zuko was thrown to the ground by a powerful punch and almost blacked out, only raising his sword just in time to deflect a large man's blade as it swung down towards his head. The single blade screeched down his dual blades, bouncing and throwing sparks into his face. Zuko blinked reflexively. The next thing he knew cold fire sliced into his left shoulder and then he did black out for a long moment.  
Sokka leapt at the burly man, his club now raised high in the air. The man turned in time to see the water tribe warrior flying at him, and then the knob of Sokka's club hit him squarely in the forehead and he dropped like a load of bricks. Sokka ducked under a flailing spear and heaved the unconscious Zuko over his shoulder.  
Sokka broke into a lumbering run, barreling through the closing gap towards the tree line.


End file.
